GR L 57477 78; (November, 1982) (Digest)
G.R. Nos. L-57477-78 November 19, 1982
HEIRS OF WILLIAM SEVILLA, petitioners, vs. JUDGE DIMALANES B. BUISSAN, Court of First Instance of Zamboanga del Norte, Dipolog City Branch III; JUAN CASTILLON and Spouses SALVADOR CRUZ and GUADALUPE YAP, respondents.
FACTS
The City Court of Dipolog City ordered William Sevilla to vacate lots owned by Juan Castillon and Guadalupe Yap, remove his improvements, and pay compensation. Sevilla appealed to the Court of First Instance (CFI) of Zamboanga del Norte, which affirmed the city court’s judgments. William Sevilla died during the pendency of the cases before the CFI, and his heirs received a copy of the CFI decision on March 19, 1981. On April 14, 1981, the heirs filed a petition for review with the Court of Appeals, contending that the factual findings of the CFI were not supported by substantial evidence and its conclusions were against law and jurisprudence.
ISSUE
Whether the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals has jurisdiction to review the decision of the Court of First Instance in these appealed ejectment cases.
RULING
The Supreme Court ruled that jurisdiction lies with the Court of Appeals, not the Supreme Court. The legal logic is grounded on the provisions of Section 45 of the Judiciary Law, as amended by Republic Act No. 6031 . This law provides that decisions of the CFI in cases originally falling under the exclusive jurisdiction of municipal or city courts, like these ejectment cases, are final. However, review is allowed if the factual findings are not supported by substantial evidence or the conclusions are clearly against law and jurisprudence. The petitioners’ petition for review explicitly raised these factual issues, necessitating an examination and evaluation of the evidence. Since the petition did not deal with purely legal questions, the Supreme Court held that the case fell within the exclusive appellate jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals as delineated by its own en banc resolution implementing RA 6031. Consequently, the Supreme Court returned the cases to the Court of Appeals for adjudication, including the resolution of a pending motion for execution.